A pragmatic analysis of census discourse: a case study of 2009 census questionnaire.

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Abstract

This project aims to describe the disparity between questions and their consequent
responses of 2009 census questionnaires in Kenya. The research design is co
relational and questionnaire interview was used to collect data which was sort out and
then analyzed. The research tested three hypotheses including that there is a disparity
between the census questions and their subsequent responses in Kenya’s 2009 census
questionnaires. The responses of Kenya’s 2009 questionnaires flout maxims of
conversation by Grice and that the suggested test frame serves as an adequate tool for
questions with minimal disparity responses. Results found all the hypotheses to be
true. More specifically, it was found that the questions concerning the issues of
children, religion and death as well as marital status and ownership of property had
the highest degree of disparity as they have cultural dimension.